Evicted hotel guest jailed for setting fire to room

A man who put up to 170 people in a hotel in danger by setting his room on fire has been jailed for more than two years.

Mohammed Abdalla started the fire at the Bradford Hotel on Hall Ings on the day he was due to be evicted from the premises due to his behaviour, Bradford Crown Court heard.

Up to 160 guests and 10 staff were inside the five-storey building on 31 October 2025 when the blaze broke out.

Sentencing the 28-year-old Sudanese asylum seeker, Recorder Ella Anderson said: "Your actions put all of those people at risk."

Abdalla, who admitted arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered, was jailed for two years and seven months.

Prosecutor Tayo Dasaolu said Abdalla had been waiting in the reception area with his belongings for several hours before asking to return to his room.

Shortly afterwards, the fire alarm was activated and staff rushed to the second floor, the hearing was told.

"When the security staff saw the defendant he was sitting on a chair on the landing smiling at them," the barrister told the court.

The blaze, near the room's television and desk area, caused more than £4,000 worth of damage, the sentencing heard.

Imran Khan, defending Abdalla, said his client had attended hospital 10 days before the incident after experiencing difficulties with his mental health.

He said Abdalla had not been well at the time of the offence and was now feeling better after receiving medication while on remand.

Passing sentence, the judge described the arson as "extremely serious" and highlighted the quick response of hotel staff during the incident.

"There were 150 to 160 residents and 10 members of staff," she said.

"There was a significant risk of serious physical harm given the environment and how populated this hotel was."

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